Communiqués de presse

For our culture to thrive, our television industry must remain strong

TVA has started broadcasting a series of short videos as part of its “Pour notre culture, notre télé doit rester forte” campaign (“for our culture, our television industry must remain strong”).

These messages were required following the announcement of Minister Mélanie Joly’s cultural policy, in which the Federal Government has decided to forego the option of collecting sales tax from U.S. giants like Netflix.

“Everyone we’ve asked to participate in the campaign – TV hosts, actors, producers, authors, TVA employees – readily agreed to pitch in and help underscore the television industry’s importance to Québec culture,” said Véronique Mercier, Vice President Communications of TVA Group. “They want to send the message that the government’s decision to give US giants preferential treatment at the expense of local businesses is wrong.”

A two-step campaign

In phase 1 of the campaign, TVA is airing five 15-second spots in which well-known personalities such as Gino Chouinard, Marie-Claude Barrette, Pierre Bruneau, Jean-Philippe Dion and Sophie Thibault present the facts and figures about TVA’s cultural and economic footprint in Québec. The numbers tell the story:

TVA spends more than $600 million per year to bring Québec culture to a wide audience;

TVA carries more than 75 original French-language productions per year;

TVA has 1,500 employees across Québec dedicated to broadcasting TV shows and news that reflect who we are.

Phase 2 of the campaign, which features actors, producers, writers and TVA employees, has just begun. Three 30-second spots criticize the government’s unfair treatment of homegrown businesses and make the point that no one can tell our stories as well as our own artists and cultural workers.

The campaign was produced by TVA Group’s network promotion team, led by Bernard Fabi and Salvatore Scali.

The campaign can also be seen in print media, on the Web, in social media and on bus shelters.

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About TVA Group

TVA Group Inc. is a communications company engaged in the broadcasting, film and audiovisual production, and magazine publishing industries. TVA Group Inc. is the largest broadcaster of French-language entertainment, information and public affairs programming, in North America, and one of the largest private production companies. TVA Group is also a leading publisher of French-language magazines and publishes some of Canada’s most popular English-language titles. The Corporation’s Class B shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol TVA.B.